Kill the Air Pressure
by Pandemonium1995
Summary: [Modern AU/Non-canon] Tatsumi feels unhappy regarding his current relationship with Esdeath, mostly because he feels like his life depends too much on her. So he has to make a choice: Either cut all ties with her and claim independence, or keep hurting himself and feel even more dependent. So what's it gonna be? Based on the mini game "Air Pressure." WARNING: HEAVY OOC!
1. Original Ending

**Before reading this one-shot, keep this in mind...**

 **\- Since this is a modern-day AU, there will be NO references from the manga or the anime.**

 **\- This one-shot is heavily based on a mini-game called '** _ **Air Pressure'.**_ **This game is about independence and learning how to stand on your own. Also, it was inspired by a Super Smash Brothers fanfiction also named** _ **'Air Pressure.'**_ **by Araceli L, which I recommend you to check out if you main Marth and Samus just like yours truly XD**

 **\- The characters in this story are OOC so no need to point that out ;)**

 **\- For plot convenience sake, Tatsumi will be the same age as Esdeath. So both are in their early 20's.  
**

 **And that's all I have to clear for the moment, so without further ado, enjoy this story.**

* * *

 **[NOT MANDATORY, BUT DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED SONGS FOR THE STORY: 'Venom,' 'Bittersweet Memories,' or 'Road To Nowhere' by Bullet For My Valentine]**

* * *

 **[Tatsumi's POV]**

I met her back when we were teenagers. At that moment, she wrapped herself around me, and has not let go of me ever since that day.

Several years later, she is still with me. Whenever I wake up, the first thing I always see is her. It always made me happy to se her beside me on bed.

"Good morning, Tatsumi." Esdeath greets me

But lately, I just don't know how I feel about her being around me anymore. Lately, I've been feeling uncomfortable. Like, something is not right.

"Morning." I greet her back as I get up from bed.

"That's good. Do you know what day is it?"

"Umm, Friday?" I answer sheepishly

She looks at me, slightly hurt, but she shrugged it off. "No you dummy." She giggles as she takes my hands. "It's our anniversary of the day we met. And I was thinking, would you like to do something?"

I remembered today it was August 14, the day we met six years ago. Normally, I don't care for such things, but they always seemed important to her, so I had always gone with the flow.

"I think I'll just go for a walk today." I answered, I actually felt the need to walk around, I have a feeling that this will not be my day.

She just looks at me, slightly disappointed. "Uh, OK, I guess I'll see you later then."

I answered. "Sure."

So then I just left.

...

I see a very large crowd today. I felt the need to lose myself among them for a while. Perhaps that would make me feel better for a little bit.

However, it was short lived.

"Tatsumi!" I hear a familiar voice. "Wait for me!" I turned around to see who it was.

It was her again. She was dressed in a simple white summer dress and white sandals.

"Hi, Esdeath!" I salute her. What in the world is she doing in here?

"I noticed you were there by yourself and I decided to keep you company." She said.

"No need to worry, I wanted to do some stuff alone." I reassured her. But somehow, I felt that she saw through me, but shrugged it off, as always.

"I see... were you maybe getting me something. All right then, I'll leave you for now, see ya!" She said as she blew me a kiss.

Not really, I just wanted to be alone.

So once she was gone, I kept on walking around for a few hours.

I don't know if I was lonely, or tired, but the crows made my head go around feeling a lot of uneasiness. So I decided to take a break and sit somewhere where there was not a whole lot of people.

So I settled on the city park, which I was lucky it was nearby.

I seriously needed to be alone for a change.

Peace and quiet where she was not around me.

As I kept walking around the park, I felt... I don't know... lost in nature. Which is a good thing.

So I just kept on walking instead of sitting down like I originally wanted.

It's a lot easier this way.

I can think straight here rather than the apartment.

I start to daydream as I keep on walking around the park.

I can actually relax myself, maybe that is what I needed.

Like some sort of mental humming.

It's clear about what I have to do...

I have to leave her.

I feel dreadfully scared, but I knew sooner or later, I have to man up.

...

.

So then, I walked back home.

I have no idea of what to say, so before I entered through that door. I've been rehearsing the converations on my mind. But that didn't go well.

So, I just straight up opened the door, and notice she was waiting the whole time.

"Esdeath, we have to talk." I spoke with seriousness. Not turning back, so it's now or never.

She looks at me sadly, and I feel awful on the inside, but I have to set that aside.

"Tatsumi, can't we just carry on as we always have?" She looks at me, worried, as if she was reading my thoughts. "It's all right, is it?" I just couldn't take it anymore, I hated this.

It's now or never.

"No." I answered, "I... I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore."

As I finished, I saw her reaction. I thought it was just sadness, madness. Hell, I expected her to go violent. But instead...

"I don't believe you." She was cunning, but there was some anger present, albeit faint. "Heh, I know you, Tatsumi. You're useless without me. Just empty, boring, just like everyone else. You'll be just another person. Just alike." She said to me.

Honestly, I was taken aback, I didn't expect her to say those things to me. But this wasn't the time to be shocked. I had to respond.

"I've made up my mind." I said sternly.

"Hahaha!" She laughed at me. "I really doubt that." She said. "You're too scared. Without me, you can't do anything. Who else is going to help you? No one. No one, but me." She said pointing at me

"I don't care, you have to leave."

...

There was silence for a full minute, until she spoke once again, looking down.

"If I'm not around anymore, who;s going to make that all matter? Who will remind you huh? She is crying as she approaches me again. "I know, deep inside, I am what make you yourself." She was clinging up to me, as she was a lost child craving for attention, and I just can't take it anymore.

"I know, and I hate it." I said.

As she kept being clingy, she spoke. "It doesn't have to be all that bad, In fact, it's not bad at all. It's your mind."

If she is not bad, then why do I always feel reliant on her?

"You can't do it without me. Just know that I'll always be there for you... I'll always help you, no matter how bad it seems." She sighs. "No one can help you as much as me, Tatsumi."

I am not going to believe in those lies anymore.

"You have to leave." I simply said.

And that was the last time I saw her.

 _ **[One month later]**_

It has been a month she was gone out of my life. I no longer rely on her. I wake up with a smile on my face knowing I have gained my own independence. Oh, how sweet it feels to be on your own for a change. I'm not sure how long will this last, but I might as well enjoy every second to the fullest.

However, I hope the day will never come when I want to see her again.

* * *

 **[Esdeath POV]**

You may have kicked me out of your life for now, but mark my words, I will come back!

You need me and you know it!

You are nothing without me!

I'm the only one who defines who you are!

But that's okay. I will let you enjoy your independence while it lasts!

Because I have a feeling our paths will cross once again. And this time, I won't let you get away from me!

You're mine, Tatsumi!

You don't have a choice!

* * *

 **And with that, It is done.. I hope you liked it.**

 **Shout out to orca3553 for pointing something out in the review section which made me add an Esdeath POV.**

 **And yes, this as an open ending, so that anyone can come up with their own conclusions as to what happens next.**

 **Anyway, I'll see you around.**

 **Sayonara, mis amigos!**


	2. Alternate Ending

**Last November, I stated in my Infinite Stratos counterpart of the story that this story wouldn't get an alternative ending like that story did.**

 **I changed my mind. So here you go. Here's the alternative ending/route to the story.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _I met her back when we were teenagers. At that moment, she wrapped herself around me, and has not let go of me ever since that day._

 _Several years later, she is still with me_.

"How's it going?" _Esdeath greets me_

 _But lately, I just don't know how I feel about her being around me anymore. Lately, I've been feeling uncomfortable. Like, something is not right._

"Fine.." _I answer her_

"That's good. Do you know what day is it? It's our anniversary of the day we met." _She said_

 _Of course it is. How could I have forgotten?_

"So, do you want to do anything?" _She asked me._

 _How about…_

"I think I'm just going to go for a walk." _I answer her._

"Uh, Ok." _She looks at me slighly disappointed._

* * *

 _I thought I would head out into the town for a while. It was busy! People everywhere._

 _I wanted to get lost among the crowd for a while._

 _Maybe even feel like a normal person for a bit. But then… I hear someone._

"Hey! Hey, wait!" _I turn around to see who it was. It was Esdeath._

"Oh, hi." I greet her.

 _What the hell is she doing here?_ I thought to myself.

"Sorry… I thought you might like the company." She said.

Hmm…

"Yeah, I'm glad you're here." I responded to her.

"I wondered if something was up…?" _She asks me, I have a feeling that she might have seen my expression early in the morning._

"No, nothing." I _assure her._ _'At least, nothing which can't be solved now that you're here'._ _I thought to myself. Ugh._

"Ah, I'm glad." _She says happily._

"So, do you want to go somewhere?" _She asks me._

"Sure, shall we find somewhere quiet? it's so busy around here." _I answered._

"How about the park over there?" _She points to the park that was just a block away._

"Sure, let's go there." _I take her hand and walk there with her._

 _I was glad, in the end, that she showed up._

 _But I can't help but feel a little disappointed in myself._

 _I thought I could cope without her…_

* * *

 _We sat together on the grass in the park._

 _She's so cheerful._

 _It just shows me how oblivious she can be to my thoughts._

"It's nice out here, huh?" _She asked me with that smile that I've always known._

 _Totally oblivious. I know I'm being unfair. What I should do is…_

 _I should tell her what's up._

"Uhm, listen… Esdeath…" _I muster courage to tell her how I'm feeling._

"Hmm?" _She pays attention to me. Not knowing what I am about to say._

"Do you think… Do you think I rely on you too much?" _I ask her first before I say anything else._

"How do you mean? We're friends aren't we?" _She asked me, rather confused._

 _She's right, we're friends. But is this what I really want?_

"W-well, I guess." _I responded, nervously._

"..?" _She looks at me with that same confused expression._

"I think I just need to be alone for a while" _I managed to tell her._

"Huh. I make the effort to cheer you up and you don't need me?" _She asked me, looking offended._

 _'Nice job Tatsumi, you fucked up by making her angry.' I scolded myself._

"…Sorry. It's not like that." _I apologize to her._

"…" _She doesn't look me in the eyes. I continue._ "Sorry, I'm just confused. Of course I need you."

 _She then turns to me and asks me._ "Shall we get home?"

"Sure, let's go home!" _I answered._

 _'I don't want to rely on her, but it's so easy! I can't decide if I'm better off with or without her.'_ _I thought to myself._

* * *

 _We went home and I didn't mention it for the rest of the day._

 _It was the day after our anniversary._

 _I had a dull sense of pressure in my head._

 _I felt like I was surrounded._

"Uh, Esdeath." _I try to initiate a conversation._

"Mh?" _She turns to me with a smile. But I had a feeling it was a forced one._

"I was thinking…"

"For a change" _She interrupted me, hoping that we patch things up._

"Haha… Are you happy?" _I ask her, while I was trying to be careful with the situation._

"Sure, I'm ok." _She says with that smile. Then she asks me:_ "Are you not happy?"

"No, I am. Just… I was just making sure." _I responded to her._

"Heheh." She chuckles. "I know. I can't help you with this decision." _She says to me._ "You have to make it."

"Then, I want to be closer to you." _I decided._

"Then.."

* * *

 _I knew it was a reckless decision._

 _I know she's not good for me._

 _I had to know what it felt like._

 _I know I made the right decision._

"You're lucky this time." _I wake up in what appears to be the hospital._

 _There was a nurse who attended me as I woke up._

"You didn't hit any nerves or arteries." _She said to me._

 _'As if I would be that stupid.' I thought to myself._

"Uh, when can I go home?" _I asked the nurse._

"You have to wait to se the doctor in the morning, and we'll se then." _She said to me_

"Right." I said to her.

"Do you feel better now?" _She asks me, seeing that I woke up in the goddamn hospital._

"… Yes." _I answer her question._

"So, why did you do it?" _She asked me._

* * *

 _Of course, it was no problem to talk my way out of the hospital._

 _It was easy, because I honestly never felt so good._

 _I felt complete. I should never have doubted that I neeeded her._

 _At the end of the day, my flaws are as defining as my good qualities._

 _I need her to carry on being myself. To sustain my personality._

 _I need her to be happy._

 **THE END.**

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 **AND THAT IS ALL FOR NOW!**

 **Well, I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Well then, see you around when you're older XD**

 **Until then,**

 **SAYONARA, MIS AMIGOS!**


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